Salad days

I am sure some variation on this theme has happened to just about every gardener who's ever planted lettuce at this time of year.  You know, the time when it all starts to grow.

One day, you have a little.  Tear it up, rinse it off, run it through the salad spinner and leave it stored in the fridge.

Then, you have even more.  It won't fit in the spinner, because that is already full of lettuce that you haven't finished yet.

Around this time, you are realizing that while you do really love eating salad, you are maybe feeling burned out on eating it every single day.  You are running out of ideas.  Especially since the tomatoes you're getting from the store aren't really that great in June.  Your spouse simply begins declining every offer of salad.

Then, if you are me, and decided to join a CSA, you receive even more lettuce.

Which means you now have to find a tertiary location for it.  The salad spinner is full, the crisper drawer is full, and pretty soon the entire bottom shelf of the refrigerator will be filled with greens.

And you still kind of don't feel like eating any more of it.  So you try to give some away, but have a real concern that your mother-in-law isn't actually going to come over and pick up the giant bag you have made for her (far left, above).

That is what I am discovering is the problem with salad/mesclun mix.  It has no other application.  While you could enjoy spinach and kale raw or cooked, cooked lettuce seems very, very gross. 

On the bright side, the succession planting sure is working!

And in other news, peas!  Finally!

Not enough to share, but I was flying solo for dinner that night anyway.

 You'll be shocked to hear this, but those peas were chopped up and joined some of their friends....

IN. A. SALAD.

Who knew these inexpensive Ikea pasta bowls would be getting so much publicity?